Zim the Zombie Killer
by Aleirbag Eiram
Summary: Zim is adjusting to his life among the humans at the dawn of the zombie apocalypse. Like everyone else, his view of the corpses is pretty straightforward; they're dangerous and need to be destroyed. But when an unexpected encounter leaves him clawing for answers, his view of the zombies changes. Now stuck between the two sides, he'll discover what it truly means to be 'human.'
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own any Invader Zim characters. Anyone NOT I.Z related DOES belong to me. Sort of. I guess.**

**RATED T FOR STRONG LANGUAGE. Please do not kill me for the swearing, but it just seems... unrealistic for people to go through the zombie apocalypse just saying: 'Oh gosh darn!' So... yeah. I'm going to use a bit stronger words than just 'Shit,' which it pretty much the strongest word in any of my other stories, so don't flip out okay? (PROBABLY won't use the F-Bomb, though...)**

**I honestly don't know where I'm going with this story. If you want to make suggestions, feel free. I can't promise that I'll use them, but they might give me some cool ideas. And I KNOW that Zim is OOC, but deal with it! He's nineteen and going through a Zombie apocalypse!**

**As usual, keep reviews rolling in and be happy. (P.S: Do you guys WANT this to be a romance story? Leave your answer as a comment, either yes or no. The sooner you tell me, the faster I'll be able to shape the rest of this story.)**

**Thank you. Stay awesome everyone. Ferociter or NovaOfNazketrin, if either of you are reading this, please don't judge me. I honestly think I had too much candy and was freaked out about the Crooked Man thing that I watched. Beats me how zombies came out of THAT, but you know how my mind works, so it probably isn't a surprise to you. You've read the Zombie Arena. You know.**

**As for the rest of you... don't judge me either.**

**REVIEW! REVIEW! I NEED TO KNOW HOW THIS STORY IS GONNA GO! ROMANCE OR JUST FRIENDSHIP? (I won't tell you WHO the romance is between. Just let me know if you want any AT ALL.)**

**Blarg. Okay, I'm done now.**

* * *

I crouched in the rafters, gazing coldly down on the corpse that stumbled across the ground below.

It was a young kid; only fifteen or fourteen years of age. Although compared to my nineteen, I guess it wasn't that much younger.

But then again, humans were weird. And I didn't like to compare myself to them.

I tapped my pistol against my knee, waiting for the corpse to pass by so the mission could continue.

"Zim, you're tense," growled a low voice from beside me. "Loosen up, or you'll fall out of the ceiling."

I frowned but didn't look away from the corpse.

"Zim, are you listening to me?"

"Nope."

"Classy."

This time, I _did_ look over for a brief moment. The human girl kneeling next to me on the long wooden rafters responded with a small glare.

"You're trouble, you know that?"

I snorted at this, finding it funny.

"Are you just going to make noises at me?" the girl asked.

"Yes."

"Huh. You and Dib sure are alike."

This made my mood turn sour.

"If you compare me to him one more time, I'll tear out your throat."

The girl laughed.

"You do that, and you'll be executed. So go ahead."

I hissed and tried to ignore her.

"What are we doing here anyway?" she asked.

I ignored her.

"Talk to me."

Still ignoring.

"Talk, or I'll push you out of the rafters."

Ooo. Change of events.

"See that?" I asked, nodding downward. The girl wrinkled her nose.

"The zombie?"

"Yes, you idiot."

"Don't call me that."

"Idiot."

The girl took a pistol from her coat and gently pressed it under my chin.

"You know, Zim?" she said softly. "I really don't like you. You seem... different."

I glared at her.

"Racist."

"So what? My point is, if you don't stop being an asshole..."

This time, _she _was the one that nodded downwards.

" ... You're going to have an... unfortunate encounter with the dead."

"Is that blackmail?"

"Yes. So, what's your answer?"

I pondered this for a moment. I could, of course, kill her in many different ways in only a few seconds. However, that would result in me having to explain myself to the rest of the town when only one person returned from the mission.

Well, I would have to find some other opportunity. It wouldn't be that hard, people died every day.

I just wanted to see the look on her face when she realized that I was indeed 'different.' It would be wonderful.

But for now, I would pretend to be a member of this disgusting species in order to survive this unusual turn of events.

"Zim? Your answer?"

"I'll try to be more of a jerk than an asshole," I replied with a small smirk. The girl narrowed her eyes.

"Lose the lip and maybe things will work out."

"Sorry. That's pretty much my whole personality."

The girl decided to give up on the argument and check the ground below us.

"... Coast is clear," she announced. "Why didn't you just shoot the damn thing?"

I didn't grace this stupid question with an answer and instead dropped down from the ceiling and landed on my feet.

"Come on, slow poke..." I growled. "I want to get this finished quickly. There's a warm meal waiting for me back at the compound."

Mimicking my voice in a mocking tone, the girl climbed down one of the supporting pillars of the building and jumped to the floor.

"You're a strange one, Zim..." she growled, brushing past me. "You're gonna wish that you'd been less of a loner soon enough-"

"Rebecca, isn't it?" I asked, causing her to turn around in confusion.

"Wh- yes. Why does that matter?"

I felt my mouth curl into a a toothy grin.

"You'd better watch it. If I recall, the world has gone to the dead. And accidents can always happen."

Rebecca looked frightened for a moment, allowing me to enjoy the panicked animalistic glint in her eyes.

But, sadly, she composed herself in only a few moments and responded with an ugly scowl.

"Come on, moron," she ordered. "We have a mission to complete."

"Ah yes..." I smiled, watching her turn away. "The mission. I'd almost forgotten..."

* * *

Now and again, I found myself trying to remember life before the disaster. Funny. It was growing increasingly difficult for me to remember what it was like before this.

Back when I was younger and still totally focused on conquering earth in the name of the Irken empire, I'd never really thought that anything could go wrong or hinder my conquest. As I grew older and the Tallest _finally _decided to tell me the truth about my mission and cut me from their lives forever, I'd decided to give up on ever being an invader. I really did try to carve a life for myself among the lesser creatures of earth.

And then, three years ago, just when things had started to look like they'd work out...

The apocalypse started. Or at least, that's the name the humans gave it.

Everything went to hell. I couldn't _believe_ how quickly civilization fell apart. In only a matter of days there were corpses walking right outside my base. I'll admit, I'd been terrified at the time. I'd never liked creepy things. Eventually, the stupid humans started dropping bombs nearby and living in my base became too hazardous. I was forced to evacuate so suddenly, I didn't have time to take anything with me besides the clothes on my back. Along with a group of humans from around the area, I made it to some safe zone set up by none other than Dib's father.

Dib. Jeez, was it really possible to be annoyed by a single person so much?

Dib. Once an outcast, now humanity's last hope. Or at least, everyone _thought _he was humanity's last hope.

In my opinion, humanity was downright _screwed _if Dib was our final line of action. The guy was still as awkward and clumsy as ever.

However, since the zombies were pretty much living (or dead) proof that he wasn't crazy, people looked to him to set things right. Always the attention whore, he took responsibility as second in command of 'Guardian's Keep,' one of the few places safe for humans to live in a community. His father ran the place.

Heh. I remember seeing him for the first time after shit hit the fan. I was among the refugees being accepted into the compound. He hadn't been exactly _pleased _to see me, but he eventually decided that one paranormal problem was bad enough. Besides, he had a hunch that my skills would be valuable.

And he was right. I don't think the settlement would have survived long without my Irken abilities.

Of course, no one besides Dib knew what I was and I planned to keep it that way. No need for me to be driven out into the zombie-infested city. That would not be very comfortable.

Three years living with humans. Three years fighting these undead sons-of-bitches. Good thing I was already used to combat or I would have killed myself a LONG time ago.

For all of its complexity, 'Guardian's Keep' did have some flaws; supplies ran out rather quickly and the wall keeping the zombies out needed to be repaired once a month.

The wall wasn't THAT big of a problem. A few men hammering away at it once a week kept it in pretty decent shape. But the supplies...

Well, that's why the 'Seekers' were established. Humans think of names for everything, huh?

The Seekers were like shadows. They slipped through the zombie city quietly and silently, gathering food, medicine or whatever else was needed and slipping back into the Keep was soon as possible. We called these runs 'missions.' These 'missions' were carried out by people under the age of forty, usually in their teens. People who could move quickly and stay quiet.

I fell into that category. (According to the humans, anyway) I was of course given many choices job wise, (Ugh working for HUMANS!) but being a Seeker seemed better than sanitary worker or wall repairman, so I swallowed down my fierce Irken pride and went with the flow. I was given two hand pistols, (The primitive human tool of defense) and sent out twice a week to collect supplies from the shattered place that was once a city of the living, and was now a city ruled by the dead.

First rule of the Seekers: Never go out alone.

Never ever.

Missions were carried out by AT LEAST two people, usually four. Going out by yourself was utter suicide.

I didn't LIKE the idea of dying, so I decided that I would have to deal with human company constantly.

Many times I tried to return to my base, but it was located in the area that people called 'The Red Zone.'

In other words, a shit load of zombies were hanging around the place. And besides, I was never alone. I wasn't ready to reveal myself to ANYONE.

So I would have to endure.

* * *

I paused and sniffed the air. The musty sent of old blood and guts made me cough.

"What is it?"

I glared over my shoulder.

"It smells like a hoard coming by, so stay back."

Rebecca shuddered slightly.

"Don't worry..." I smirked mockingly. "I'll save your ass if it comes to that. I don't want to have to explain myself to Dib."

The human glared at me.

"It's not that! It's just... creepy that you can do that."

I frowned.

"Do what?"

"Smell things like a dog."

I rolled my eyes.

"Yeah well... If I wasn't able to, we'd be walking into the arms of some friendly corpses now, wouldn't we?"

Rebecca didn't answer for the longest time.

"You're really different, Zim..." she said quietly.

"The world's a hell-hole. Being different doesn't really matter anymore, does it?"

"No. I guess not."

"Just... wait here."

Pressing my back against the brick wall, I peered around the corner. What used to be a city street loomed ahead of me, framed by tall broken skyscrapers and cars left abandoned on the sidewalk.

"Stay here."

"Zi- Where are you going?!"

I went on all fours and crawled over to the nearest car. The windows were shattered and strewn across the road, so I maneuvered gingerly around the shards to avoid cutting myself.

"Zim!" Rebecca cried.

"Shut up!" I hissed. I crawled under the vehicle and peered out from behind the wheel.

About forty meters away, loitering by the remains of a pet shop, a large group of the undead stood swaying slightly on their feet. Even a decent ways away, I could smell the stink from their rotting bodies and see the pale flesh tearing away from their limbs. I barred my teeth in disgust at the sight.

"Hideous..."

Many wore the remains of regular street clothing. Others had police uniforms and suits. All in all, humans from the city.

_Wonderful. The place we need to get to is right behind them. If we can just... wait... what are they...?_

Many of the zombies had their faces upwards, sniffing the air like a pack of wolves. A loud moan rose up from the group.

I mentally slapped myself as I remembered a tip given to me by another Seeker: 'If you're close enough to see them clearly, they're close enough to smell _you _clearly.'

"Shit..." I growled.

With enraged screeches, the hoard turned and thundered toward my hiding spot.

I had barely began to register that I needed to flee when the hoard surrounded the car. I cringed and curled up tighter, but to my surprise, they simply parted around the vehicle and continued to thunder past.

I was utterly confused by this behavior.

_Did they... not see me?_

"ZIM!" Rebecca screamed, terror in her voice.

_Oh shit. They're after HER._

In truth, I didn't really care what happened to the human girl. However, I wasn't fond of the idea of having to explain Rebecca's death, so I felt that it was necessary to save her.

I needed to do something quick before they bit her. Once THAT happened... sheesh, nothing to be done. Better to shoot her in the head if I was the merciful type.

But I wasn't the merciful type.

I crawled out from under the car and got my bearings. The street was empty, but I could clearly hear the wails of the dead as the followed the human through the twisting alleys. If she was smart, Rebecca would have climbed a fire escape or something, but I didn't think the idea would cross her mind. So I would have to go after her.

"Goddamn humans..." I hissed.

For the first time in about a month, I unsheathed my P.A.K legs and used them to vault into the air. The feeling of the wind rushing past my face, even though my antenna were hidden beneath a hologram... it was heavenly. I could almost forget the disaster that had happened.

But then I heard Rebecca scream again and I was brought back to reality.

I hooked unto the side of a building and used the high ground to look into the alleys. It didn't take me long to spot the hoard of zombies and pinpoint the small person running like heck away from them. However, I also noticed that Rebecca was about to turn towards a dead end.

Literally.

"Crap."

I pushed off from the building and hit the next one running. I sped along the side, keeping my balance on the tilted surface with the extra appendages.

"I need to get closer..." I growled.

Ignoring the stomach-wrenching sensation, I jumped off the skyscraper and landed neatly on top of on of the smaller structures. For a moment, I lost track of the hoard.

"Ah, shit!" I hissed.

"STOP! GO AWAY!"

I perked up at the shout. Allowing myself a grim smile, I crouched and hopped from on rooftop to the next.

I reached Rebecca just as she ran into the wall at the end of the alley. Horrified and sobbing, she clawed at the bricks with bloodied fingernails as the first zombie rounded the corner behind her.

"No! NO NO NO NO!"

I sighed in an annoyed fashion.

"I _did_ promise to save her ass... Ugh, why do humans have to be so... useless?"

The corpse ran up to Rebecca and started to reach out with pale, bony fingers. The human screamed and covered her face.

_Your GUN, you idiot! Your- Ah, shit!_

I jumped in between the two and shoved my pistol into the zombie's mouth. Its momentum slammed the weapon further into its jaw.

I was close enough to see every single blue vein underneath the white skin, to see the rotting flesh on the cheeks and see the strange white glow coming from the eyes.

The zombie choked on the gun and tried to grab at my wrists.

"Lights out, asshole," I grinned as I pulled the trigger.

An explosion of color. Muddy red and pale pink, white and black. A geyser that erupted from the back of the corpse's skull. I enjoyed it far too much. I enjoyed watching the supernatural light drain from the lifeless eyes.

The body slumped to the floor, unmoving.

With a sigh, I scooped the muck away from my face and wiped in on my pants. The tight black clothing had been given to me once I had started my work as a Seeker, and it needed to be washed every single day.

Not that I _cared_ if it was dirty.

Rebecca was sobbing behind me, the left side of her face covered in zombie pus and bits of skull. I gave her my best vampire grin, enjoying the look of terror in her eyes.

"Y- y- you... y-you m- moron!"

Her body was shaking violently, but she made a heroic attempt to stand in front of me.

"You... you got so close to it! It could have... bitten-"

I grabbed her neck and yanked her face close. She shriveled under my cold stare.

"You didn't pull out your gun," I whispered. "And that makes _you _the moron."

"I didn't... think..."

I released her, knowing that I had frightened her enough.

"Where's the rest?"

Rebecca carefully wiped gunk away from her mouth.

"I... lost them. This one followed me, I don't-"

Just as she started speaking, a couple more zombies appeared at the end of the alley. I quickly scooped Rebecca up and jumped back onto the roof.

"H- HEY!" she yelped.

"Hold on and you'd BETTER not move."

The zombies clawed at the walls below me. I was going to go into the alley right next door, but I turned to see that it was filled with the rest of the hoard.

There was no way were were going to escape, unless...

_Shit. Looks like I'm gonna have to do this._

I unsheathed my P.A.K legs again, ignoring Rebecca's gasp of surprise. Racing to the edge of the building, I pushed against the ground and shot into the air.

Leaving the zombies far behind, I hooked onto the top of a sky scrapper and dumped Rebecca onto the floor. She crawled away from me as quickly as she could.

"Ge- get away!"

I gave her a cold stare.

"I just saved your life. Be a little more considerate."

Rebecca fumbled in her coat and yanked out her pistol.

"WHAT ARE YOU?!" she demanded, pointing it at me. I shrugged.

"Someone who wants to survive. Put the gun down, Rebecca."

She hesitated.

"Put it down. Now."

"I don't-"

"DAMN IT, I JUST SAVE YOUR MISERABLE LIFE! I COULD HAVE LET YOU_ DIE_ DOWN THERE!"

She flinched at my sudden outburst, but I was honestly pissed off. I stalked over to her and slapped the gun from her grip. It clattered across the roof, out of reach.

"NOW LISTEN TO ME! WE'RE GOING TO FINISH THIS MISSION, AND THEN WE'RE GOING HOME. EASY. SIMPLE. DO NO MAKE THIS COMPLICATED."

Rebecca whimpered, a shell of her former self. I guessed that the brush with death had broken her mind.

"I'll leave you here if I have to," I growled. This brought her back to her senses.

"NO! NO, PLEASE!"

She literally got on her knees and hugged my boots.

"DON'T LEAVE ME HERE!"

I sniffed, annoyed.

"Don't you dare breath a word of this to anyone, do you hear?"

Rebecca looked confused.

"Of... of... of what?"

I leaned down, taking her chin in my hand. Her wide eyes bore into mine.

"Of what you saw," I hissed. "Dib's keeping it a secret, and now you ned to as well. Got it?"

Rebecca nodded vigorously.

"I know, I know, I won't... I won't..."

"Good," I grinned, straightening up and stretching my weary limbs. "Because if you do, I'm going to be much worse than any zombie you come across."

* * *

**Beautiful. I finished it. I think...**

**Yep, like I said, I have NO idea where this is gonna go. Ideas would help a lot.**

**Thanks for reading and review please! I love reviews!**

**Oh, and if anyone wants to ATTEMPT to draw Seeker Stealth clothing... I dunno. It's tight, it's black... think assassin I guess.**

**Go ahead and try to design it. I honestly have no idea what it looks like either. Maybe if people start drawing art based on the story and send me a link, I'll post them up on the chapters as they come out for the world to see. Exciting? Yes, yes... I know.**

**See you next chapter.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey! I have decided to write an AMAZINGLY LONG CHAPTER. You're welcome.**

**Just an update; I probably _won't_ make this a romance story. Sorry to all those who were hoping for it. I can create more emotional scenes with just a friendship. (I won't tell you how) And just so you know, this story is... probably NOT going to go the way you THINK it is. Just so no one comes back to me later and complains.**

**Anyway, thanks to everyone who reviewed!**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

I breathed in the warm musty scent of humans and smiled.

"Welcome home," I mumbled to myself.

The concrete walls rose up in front of me; tall, strong and dark, set between two skyscrapers that looked like pillars framing the entrance. I shouldered the pillowcase that was dangling from my grasp and glanced behind me.

"Come on, Rebecca..." I growled. "Hurry up."

The human had insisted on walking five steps behind me for the remainder of the journey. As I spoke to her, she jumped and her eyes flashed with a frightened glint.

"Stop being a wuss," I sighed. "If I'd wanted to kill you, I would have left you behind."

_If I'd wanted to kill you MESSILY. I don't want to do that, now do I?_

Rebecca stared at me blankly.

"Just follow me..." I groaned. "And please try not to faint or anything again. I'm not going to carry you."

I turned away and walked confidently towards the sealed metal doors.

Rebecca reached out to me, confused.

"Wait... we're supposed to enter through the left wall... what are you-?"

Raising my fist, I pounded on the doors harshly.

"SHHH!" Rebecca hissed, displaying a surprising amount of courage as she grabbed my wrists and prevented me from striking the door again. "What are you doing?! They're gonna hear you!"

"That's the point."

"No! Not them! _Them!"_

I rolled my eyes.

"Whatever. We'll be safe before any corpses appear, so chill out."

As I finished saying this, the door creaked open slightly and a disturbed face peeked out.

"Holy Hell, Zim!" the person spat. "You're going to kill us all!"

I squeezed in through the door and cracked my knuckles with a sigh.

"I'm tired of going through the sewers. The main entrance is so much more... preferable."

The boy who opened the door pushed his brown hair away from his eyes and glared at me.

"It... You're not supposed to do this! The main entrance is for emergencies only-"

"_Can it_, Ronald," I snarled. "I'm in, so deal with it. Go back to guard duty, okay? I've got some medicine to hand over."

Giving him a small shove in the middle of his chest, I turned and walked away, pausing when I was a few meters away to glance over my shoulder again.

"Rebecca! Aren't you coming?"

The girl stood by the entrance, trembling as she watched me with large eyes.

"Move it. We're late enough already."

She didn't do anything. She was frozen. Terrified.

"Forget you," I growled. "I can finish this myself."

I continued to walk, feeling foul. The day had _not_ gone the way that I'd wanted it to.

"Stupid bitch..." I hissed.

It felt so good to swear.

I passed through an alleyway that opened up into an abandoned street. Unlike the streets outside, this one was empty of both cars and zombies.

'Guardian's Keep' was a circular section in the center of the city that was surrounded by walls to keep the corpses out. The first concrete wall was thick and kept the zombies at bay for the most part. But just in case, there was a smaller wall closer towards the center of the keep. That's where most of the people stayed because they felt safest, and so the bit of city in between the walls was usually quiet and abandoned.

Me? Damn, I thought humans were absolute _idiots _for cramming themselves all into one small area instead of taking advantage of the 'inner city.' There was so much space in here... Maybe people wouldn't be so freaking _crabby_ if they had room to breath.

But you know, there was just no sense in these creatures.

I ducked into one of the building's main lobbies and peeked out ahead of me through the window. I could see the outline of the second wall against the sunset, as well at the tiny silhouettes of guards pacing back and forth on top of it.

Mm... Superior eyes certainly _did _come in handy.

Kneeling down and placing my pillowcase on the ground, I gently pulled out a parcel wrapped in plastic. This I hid inside of my P.A.K.

"What Dib doesn't know won't hurt him..." I smiled. "Everyone's gotta make it one way or another."

What I had concealed wasn't exactly... legal. There was a black market in 'Guardian's Keep' that almost _everyone _knew about. You could get some pretty valuable stuff there if you had enough cash or the right trading item.

It made me sick to barter with humans in this way, but I was miles away from my base and I had learned to use my wits to survive in any way that I could.

I shouldered the bag again and hopped out of the lobby, smoothing out my shirt as I did so.

"Show time..." I mumbled to myself. I then turned and walked directly in the middle of the street, heading for the wall.

I took my time, watching the guards on the tower squint and notice me coming. Someone waved, and I waved back for reasons I didn't even know.

"WAIT RIGHT THERE," boomed a loud voice. "NAME AND PASSWORD?"

"Seriously Lance?" I complained, standing directly in the shade of the walls and glaring right at them. "You freaking _know_ that it's me."

"Are you infected?"

"Wh- No! Jeez, just let me in!"

"Sorry, we have to be sure. Stand still for a search."

I inwardly groaned.

_Pat down time... wonderful._

I gently placed the pillowcase on the ground and crossed my arms as the doors in front of me opened. To my disgust, I saw Lance himself come out and start stalking towards me. He was wearing a full-body jumpsuit with a mask over his face and gloves on his hands.

"Dude... really? You're taking this WAY too seriously."

Lance glared at me.

"It's a Zombie Apocalypse," he growled, his voice muffled from the mask. "Can't be _too_ careful. Now stand still."

I groaned and held my arms out, allowing Lance to fold back the clothing on my shoulders and stomach to check for bite wounds.

"Your hands are cold," I whined.

"Shut up."

Next, Lance looked through my pillowcase, checking all of the items it contained. I blew an exasperated raspberry and leaned against the wall.

"Yeah, I get it..." I mumbled sarcastically. "Medicine is dangerous and need to be destroyed."

"Zim, if you give me lip, I'm going to put you in solitary confinement."

"On what charges?"

"I'll think of something. Your record isn't exactly 'peachy-clean.'"

"I don't think _anyone's_ record is 'peachy-clean.' 'Peachy-clean...' Jeez, do people even _say _that anymore?"

"I just said it."

"Yes, well you're a 'Special Snowflake,' you know?"

"Zim, I'm _warning_ you..."

I grinned to myself and basked in my victory for a while. I liked to play a game of wits with people, and see how long it took for them to lose their cool.

So far, only one other person had managed to survive more than a single minute.

"... All clear..." Lance finally confirmed, sounding disappointed. I shook my head sadly and grabbed my bag from the ground.

"Maybe if I'd gotten this medicine to the hospital faster..." I sighed, trying to sound sad. "Some people wouldn't have _died..._"

Lance's visible skin turned red, then purple. Before he could lash out, I squeezed through the doors and sprinted away from the entrance.

"See ya later, loser!" I called over my shoulder.

Ah yes. The pleasures of being an asshole.

I passed by a few more guards stationed behind the wall, who held guns tightly in their grip and forced stern expressions on their faces to appear in control.

In reality, most of these guys were probably shitting their pants at the thought of being even closer than usual to the outer wall. Many of these people had never killed a zombie before.

Hell, I _liked _killing them. It was the closest I was going to get to killing_ humans_ at the moment.

I whistled to myself as I strolled down the road, watching the snipers stationed in the buildings above. Rounding a corner, I saw the very last wall, which was no more than a chain-link fence.

And behind that fence was 'Guardian's Keep.' Or at least the part where people lived.

At the very center of the Keep was the Membrane labs. The Professor was smart enough to build his settlement around the one place where the cure to the virus could be discovered.

Well, not the _one_ place, or even the _best_ place. But... my labs were currently...

Unavailable.

The living arrangements were pretty basic; scientists and everyone working to discover the cure slept in the basement of the lab. Seekers and people who had 'high-risk' jobs stayed in the small apartment complex just outside the chain link fence.

Everyone else built houses or huts out of cardboard and cloth and lived like hobos wherever there was space available.

The smell got pretty nasty during the summer. Or when someone kicked the bucket in the middle of the night.

Mainly, the hobo camps were outside of the chain link fence as well. The market place, training camp and food storage area were already occupying most of the inside space.

Well, as long as those lazy wusses didn't try to mooch off of _my_ living quarters, I was perfectly fine with them being scattered around like rocks.

I paused, staring off towards a tall building with balconies jutting out from it. I wanted nothing more than to go back to my room and take a nap, but I had items to had over to the doctors.

I hissed swear words under my breath to make myself feel better and slowly made my way towards the fence. I could see the Labs looming up ahead, the place that I needed to go but _really _didn't want to.

Standing in front of the fence and worming my fingers through the holes, I observed the large crowd of people going about their daily lives. There were booths set up that held many different trinkets. I stared at one in particular with mild interest before I decided to just get my job over with so I could focus on something else.

I didn't bother with a door or anything; I simply held the pillowcase in my teeth and climbed the fence. I knew that I would be scolded big time if I was caught, so I made sure to sneak away quickly.

There were many greetings for me from random people, who wanted to get on my good side or who wanted to impress me somehow. I smiled at this, pleased by the attention yet at the same time annoyed that people were talking to me. I pushed through the crowd, pausing now and then to look at some items in the booths.

What I really needed to buy was ammo. I'd been running out recently ever since the hoards had been drawing closer to the keep. However, it was pretty expensive and each bullet you bought had to be recorded.

That is, if you bought it _legally._

Setting down a clay elephant that had grabbed my attention for some reason, I peered through the crowd and was a little concerned when I saw a familiar figure walking around.

"Aww... shit," I groaned. "It's Mildred."

The head of security. A huge human with an attitude about as foul as the rotting corpses infesting the outside.

Crap, she didn't look happy. And as her eyes scanned the area and locked with mine, she began to look even more pissed.

I had probably done something. I couldn't even remember _what_ at this point.

"You!" Mildred barked when she had gotten close enough for me to hear her. Which was like fifty feet away.

"Yes?"

"Don't move!"

"... Um... O-kay... What'd I do _this _time, _mom_?"

Mildred scowled at me as she drew closer.

"Don't give me sass, Seeker! The head scientist wants to see you!"

My blood turned to ice, then fire, then ice again. I opened my mouth to say something witty, but I panicked.

"Holy shit. Tell him I didn't destroy that one car on purpose, okay? I just took it for a joy ride, I didn't know that the dog was gonna be in the way-"

Mildred smacked my cheek painfully, which shut me up.

"I don't _care _what weird adventures you had outside the walls, alright?" she growled. "The head scientist wants to see you. So get your ass moving."

"Yeah, look..." I sighed, rubbing, my stinging skin. "I, uh... don't want to deal with him right now... and I've got this medicine to hand over, so-"

In one swift movement, Mildred swiped the pillowcase from my hands.

"Hey!" I protested.

"I'll be giving that to the doctors," Mildred said, her voice slightly smug. "_You_, on the other hand, have a place you need to be right now."

I gave her my most poisonous glare, but she was unscathed.

"Move it."

"Yes. _Sir._"

I clenched my fists and tromped away from her, my face burning with both anger and shame.

_I let her... take away my cool._

I swallowed thickly.

_I can't let... that happened again._

I broke away from the crowd and stood in the clearing, staring at the large building in front of me.

"Well... I'm basically screwed..." I sighed. "I might as well get this over with..."

Would I ever get a break?

I took the stairs two at a time and threw open the glass entrance doors.

"WHAT'DUP, BITCHES?" I grinned.

The reactions from the two women behind the desk were very different. The older one with streaks of white hair gasped and looked horrified.

The younger one blushed slightly and averted her eyes.

"ZIM!" spat the older one, whose name-tag read: 'Dolly.'

I smiled.

"How's it going, Doll? Long time no see!"

"THAT IS INAPPROPRIATE LANGUAGE!"

"So?"

"THIS IS-"

"-Not a nursery, so you should stop treating me like a baby, k'_ grandma_?"

Dolly sputtered and pounded her hands on her keyboard. It was obvious that she wanted to wring my neck, but had far too much self-control.

I winked at the younger girl.

"How's it goin'?"

She covered her mouth and tried not to smile, but the pink on her cheeks told me enough.

"Aaaaaanyway..." I said, leaning over the counter and tilting my head at Dolly. "I'm here for a... meeting. With the master."

Dolly gave me an ugly look.

"Yes, I know. And I hope he tears you limb from limb."

I chuckled and straightened up, smoothing my shirt.

"Well... I'm sure it'll be fine because the master and I... go _way_ back."

Dolly mumbled something not nice and pushed a button behind her desk. The doors to the elevator next to me slid open.

"He's expecting you..."

"I'm sure he is. Well, thank you."

"Go to hell, Zim."

"That's not what a sweet old lady's supposed to say."

"I'M NOT A FREAKING OLD LADY! THE STRESS OF THE APOCALYPSE HAS JUST WHITENED SOME OF MY HAIR, YOU DELINQUENT!"

"Sure, sure... just keep telling yourself that, okay?"

Dolly stood up, her eyes flashing. I laughed and sprinted towards the elevator, mouthing: 'See you' to the younger girl.

I might as well have some fun before I got skinned alive, right?

As I rode up in the elevator, I distracted myself by pushing every single button and stopping at every single floor. I was supposed to go to the very top, but I wasn't very eager to rush quickly to my doom.

And besides, jumping up and down in the elevator was rather fun. It made my stomach feel all funny inside.

As I finally arrived at my destination, I found myself sweating nervously. This made me feel pretty pathetic; after all, being afraid of a simple _human_ was a giant blow to my pride. I licked my thumb and rubbed it over my lips, a weird way to calm myself down when I felt ready to jump out of my skin.

"Relax..." I mumbled. "Just remember... stay cool. Stay sarcastic. You don't even know why you're here. It's probably nothing big."

I smiled to myself and wondered just how much of an asshole I could be without facing major consequences.

Well... that would be a fun experiment... Maybe I would try it.

I stepped out of the elevator and glanced down the hall both ways. To the left was a window. To the right was a long passage, which ended in a door being guarded by a man with a sniper rifle.

"Hey... George!" I called, trying to sound pleasant. The man didn't look at me.

"O-kay..."

I walked up to him and tapped his shoulder.

"I uh... have to get in there. So.. could you...scoot?"

George continued to stare straight ahead.

"I've been requested to come here..." I growled. "But I'll be more than happy to leave and use you as an excuse."

This time, the human looked down and silently glared at me.

"Look. I'm going," I smiled, starting to turn away from him.

"Get in there."

I snorted and faced George again. He was standing a bit off to the side, leaving the entrance open.

"I have my orders."

"I'm sure you do, big guy."

Patting his shoulder, I opened the door and peeked inside.

The room was pretty basic. Jade green walls held a painting or two of fruits, which I always found a little odd. There were only three pieces of furniture; two sofas opposite each other and a coffee table in between them. The table held a vase of fresh roses, and on the far wall directly in front of me was a door, which was closed at the moment. There was no one else in the room.

"He's late, huh?" I asked. George growled.

"He'll be here soon enough. Be patient and wait."

"To hell with patience."

George winced. It must have been hard for him; he wanted to slap me, yet at the same time, he was trying to remain professional.

I had that affect with most adults.

"Just... zip it, okay? He not going to like you attitude."

I gave the human a dry look.

"I've known him for a lot longer than you. He _knows_ my attitude."

George nudged me further into the room with the end of his gun and slammed the door shut. I giggled.

"And pop goes the weasel."

I flopped down on the sofa facing the other door and put my feet up on the table. The dust from my boots rubbed off onto the clean wood, leaving streaks of dark.

"He's gonna be pissed about that..." I said to myself.

I waited for a while, staring at the door. It seemed like hours flew by without anything happening. Still exhausted from my mission, I closed my eyes, leaned my head back against the couch and let out a weary sigh.

"You haven't changed much, now have you?"

I jumped at the voice and hit my ankle on the edge of the table. I hissed and rubbed my throbbing bone, looking up and glaring at the human who was know standing in the doorway in front of me.

"You're a pain in my ass, Dib..." I snarled.

Dib frowned at my choice of words.

"I thought you were beneath swearing like a human?"

"Yeah, well... things change sometimes."

"Indeed they do."

Hell, I really_ hated_ it when Dib asked me to come to his 'office.' I'd been fooling myself into believing that he was still the same crazy kid that I'd first met.

But time and an apocalypse had, in reality, changed that.

Still clothed in a black trench coat that reached down to his knees, Dib now gave off an air of confidence that annoyed the heck out of me. I didn't like to think about it, but he was taller than me by a couple of inches. When I stood up, the difference was quite obvious.

Out of everything that had changed about Dib, none was as drastic as his attitude. He was no longer the screaming little kid warning of aliens.

He was... an adult. Calm. Collected. Stern.

Infuriating. He was always trying to 'out-cool' me.

I would not allow that to happen. And humanity was _still _screwed in my opinion.

As Dib sat down in the seat opposite of me, I smiled and folded my arms behind my head.

"Soo... dear _friend_..." I said. "To what to I owe this unexpected delight? Is there something that you desperately need my skills to complete? Or are you longing for the comfort of my company one again."

Dib didn't say anything for the longest time. He simply stared at me with a bland expression, giving no hint to what he was thinking.

"Something has come up..." he finally said, speaking slowly. "I think you'd want to be concerned about it."

I snorted.

"Oh? So does that mean you want me to take a special job or something? Because I'm telling you, I'm really not in the mood for-"

"I had a little chat with Rebecca a couple of minutes ago. You might know her."

I froze, my hands still behind my head. I couldn't think of anything to say for a while, and my heart was pounding too hard for me to concentrate.

"I... What'd that bitch tell you? And how'd she get here so fast?"

Dib's eyes flashed behind his glasses at my language. He sat up and crossed his legs.

"_Rebecca_ was hysterical. She was blabbering about some pretty interesting things before I sat her down and asked for the full story."

I stared at the vase of roses, tracing the designs with my eyes.

"She told me that you're some sort of monster with metal legs."

"I saved her life..." I mumbled.

"She told me that too."

Squiggles. Leaves. Triangles. I followed the lines up and down the vase.

"She claims that you're a demon."

Squares. Triangles. Triangles. Triangles...

"My response to this was that you're about as human as it gets."

Triangles... triangles... tri...an...gles...

"Zim. Look at me."

Hesitant, I slowly brought my gaze up to stare into Dib's eyes. His expression was not angry; nor was it pleased. He just seemed like he was waiting.

"Did I do the right thing to lie to her?"

"You're asking _me_ this?" I sneered, my heart crammed into my throat. Dib sighed.

"Zim, can I trust you?"

His question confused me. I wasn't sure where this conversation was going, but I didn't really like it.

"What do you think?"

"I'd like to know your opinion first."

I frowned at his calmness, his confidence. I myself was dangerously close to losing it for some reason.

"I..."

"Zim, please answer the question."

I growled.

"I don't... Look, you don't like me. I get that. I'm not in your fan-club either, okay?"

Dib raised his eyebrows slightly.

"But you understand this as well as I do..." I continued. "Shit's gone down. Us sitting here bitching-"

"Language please," Dib said.

"... us _butting __heads_ over past experiences isn't going to help either of us. I... Yeah, so I understand why you're conflicted, okay? I'm the alien invader, totally camouflaged in your precious group of survivors. And yes, my record hasn't been... perfect."

"That's the understatement of the century."

"Shut up, Dib-thing."

Dib smiled a bit at this, his expression gentle. I scowled at his casual nature, wanting to lash out and say something hurtful to ease the tension inside of me.

"You didn't really answer my question, Zim. Can I trust you?"

"... I don't know."

"You don't know."

He was the one in control right now. He was the one who was keeping his cool without batting an eyelash. I felt like a mouse at the mercy of a cat.

"I don't know what to think anymore," I sighed, feeling weary and dropping the whole 'trying to be a badass' act that hadn't been working anyway. "I'm... confused."

"Confused."

"Yes. Are you deaf?"

"No. I'm just trying to understand something here. Zim..."

Dib stood up and paced the room. I watched his movements through narrowed eyes, my entire body ridged as if he were going to attack me at any moment.

"It's been three years since all of this started. I've changed a lot during that time, and so have you."

I glared at my hands, trying to avoid Dib's piercing gaze.

"We've had this fragile alliance since it began. I let you in here, and you've been working alongside humans pretty well."

I snorted.

"Pretty well, huh?"

"It's just that... you seem to be slipping."

I refused to meet his eyes.

"Zim, I'm just wondering if you're going to go berserk."

"Berserk?"

"I can understand why you'd go crazy. After all, you've been around humans for three years straight without really having time to yourself. You've had to deal with corpses walking around and suffer because of mistakes that humans have made."

"I have no where else to go." The words just flew out of my mouth before I could stop them.

Dib sat down again and pushed his glasses up.

"I'm going to be very blunt," he said. "I wouldn't have been able to keep this place alive without you. You bring back more supplies then any other Seeker. You've kept the walls safe. You've saved lives."

"Yes, I have. For _humans,_ no less..."

"I'm just going to go out and say it then. I _need _you."

This confession caused me to look up in surprise.

"It's... hard," Dib sighed. "I'm trying to keep things from falling apart. And my father... is not the man he used to be."

"He's going crazy."

"No... the... times have been hard on him, okay?"

Just for a moment, there was a bitterness in Dib's voice. I knew that I had wandered into a sensitive area and I needed to change the subject quickly.

"I still don't get what this is all about."

"It's just... Zim, don't get me wrong. There's no other person that I would turn to to complete a dangerous task. But... I just want to be sure."

"About what?"

"That you won't pull another stunt like this again."

I glared at my hands.

"Zim?"

I didn't look at him. I continued to glare at the vase, wishing that there was something more interesting to draw my attention.

_Freaking triangles..._

"Zim, do I have your word?"

"I saved her life. She.. would have died. I did what I thought... what I thought was right."

Dib's expression saddened.

"And I'm very thankful for that. I'm not saying that you didn't do the right thing, or that you can't use your P.A.K legs at _all, _but I just... Look..."

Dib rubbed his eyes.

"I... These people are scared, Zim. The whole 'apocalypse' has torn apart everything they thought they knew about this world. Now, if they found out that an _extraterrestrial _was camping here with them..."

Dib shuddered.

"You're right," I agreed. "That would totally suck."

"Language."

"Quit bitching, _mom_."

"Zim."

"Alright, alright! Yeah, whatever."

"Whatever _what?"_

"I… give you my word."

This sentence tasted foul on my tongue. I hissed and glanced away from the human.

"…Because believe it or not, I'd prefer to swallow my pride and live among you 'cow-people' than leave and stay with the zombies. That would not be comfortable."

Dib chuckled softly.

"I don't understand you sometimes, Zim."

"Of course you can't. I'm too awesome to understand."

"But thank you for cooperating."

"This doesn't mean that I like you, Dib."

"I don't expect you to. But it's sad that you and I don't get along well."

"… Eh?"

"I wish that you and I could forget the past and start new again. I mean, you're not trying to take over the earth anymore, so I don't have a reason to hunt you."

I winced at Dib's words because they brought back some painful memories. The human saw my reaction.

"… Sorry. I forgot."

"Mmm."

"But can we start over, Zim? We've been allies for three years now."

"...I'll think about it. But no promises, k'? I'm still mad about that meat incident."

Dib grinned, a bit of his old self flashing back into his eyes.

"That was funny."

"Shut up. Are we done here?"

"… Yes. You gave me your word. I think that's about all."

Dib walked me to the door, even though it was only about five feet away from the couch I'd been sitting in. Always the gracious host.

"Go home and get some rest," he said, standing behind me and placing a hand on my shoulder. "You need all the energy you can get. Sorry that this took so long."

I rolled my eyes and closed my fingers around the door knob.

"Oh, and Zim...?"

Before I knew what was happening, Dib had opened the top of my P.A.K and taken out the package that I'd hidden earlier. He waggled it scoldingly in my face.

" … How many times do I have to tell you that drugs are _illegal?_"

I stared at him blandly.

"How'd you know?"

"Please. I've been watching you since we were in middle school."

"Stalking me, more like it."

Dib rubbed his temples.

"Zim… I really should punish you for this…."

"Buuuuuuuuut?"

"…But…. You also brought back a lot of medicine…. so... I'll let it slide. _Again."_

I continued to give him a bland look.

"Zim, you do realize that we have _rules_ for a _reason?_"

"Yes."

"The _last_ thing that people need right now is to get high."

"It keeps them happy, no? Isn't that how these…_ drugs…_ work?"

"Zim, you've never been high, have you?"

"Of course not. I don't even understand why you people _use _this disgusting powder."

"People aren't able to think straight when they use drugs. They can harm others… or harm themselves. There's enough accidents as it is, okay?"

I glared at him. He responded with a gentle but sad look.

"Zim, I know times are tough. And I know that you're trying to get by in any way you can… but I'm going to keep taking these away from you because I know that they're dangerous. You understand that, don't you?"

"…. Sure. Whatever."

"Good. I'm glad."

Dib tossed the package onto the table behind him. I bit my lip and stared at the door knob.

"I'll see you again sometime, Zim."

"Yeah.."

I opened the door and stepped into the hall, relief flooding through my body. I cast one quick glance over at George, who was still in his usual position. He had a pair of headphones in his ears that I hadn't noticed before.

"Well… hello," I smiled. He didn't even glance over at me.

"Bitch."

"Zim, language."

"Sorry, Dib-thing. But he didn't even hear me."

"That's not the-… You're infuriating sometimes."

"I really do try."

I winked at Dib and strolled into the elevator, this time only clicking one button.

"Time to go home…" I mumbled to myself.

* * *

As I stepped into the lobby again, Dolly had a smug expression on her face.

"So. How badly did you burn?"

I stared at her. The younger receptionist was shaking her head slowly, seeming embarrassed.

"I'll bet you had your backside flailed like the spoiled child that you are," Dolly continued. "I just wish I could have been there to see it."

I went silent for a few moments.

"Any wise-crack comments you'd like to make now that you've been shamed, Zim?"

I thought about it.

"It really isn't a surprise to me that you're single at forty years of age," I said. "You're such a bitch, no one wants to spend more than five seconds with you."

With that, I turned and walked straight out the entrance doors, leaving Dolly sputtering in shock behind me.

The sky had turned the color of fresh blood, blowing a warm breeze in from the south. I paused on the steps of the lab and took a deep breath, ignoring the smell of the dead and dying, the desperate humans around me and the decay of three years worth of hell.

I simply focused on the small things that I actually found calming; the faint scent of lavender drifting in the wind, a sweet bakery aroma from somewhere, drops of dew that had clung to the underside of grass since the morning.

This planet wasn't 100% bad. There were the little things.

At the moment, it was only 99.9% bad.

Feeling beat and weary, I gazed longingly at the looming apartment building, wishing that I could run straight towards it and fling myself into bed.

But... there was someone that I needed to talk to first.

The crowd in the marketplace had thinned out considerably. I weaved my way through the remaining humans, making sure that no one followed me.

I eventually arrived at a small hut-like structure with a sign tacked onto the door that read: 'No American Entry.'

In other words, 'The Police Can Bug-Off.'

I reached out and hesitated, my hand hovering inches away from the door.

"Eduardo!" I hissed. "Open up!"

"Who out there?"

The voice from inside was muffled and slurred, with a slight latino accent. I sighed.

"It's me. Zim."

"Zim!" The voice was now delighted.

In a few moments, I hear a faint scrapping as locks were undone, and the door swung open.

A large fat human stood in the doorframe, a scraggly beard on his face. His eyes were bloodshot and watery, and I wanted to look anywhere else _but _into them.

"Come in, come in!" Eduardo cooed, placing a hand on the small of my back and giving me a slight nudge into his house. I inwardly shuddered, wanting him to keep his hands to himself and not touch me so... boldly, if you will.

Humans were revolting.

The inside of the hut was a strange collection of jars, ropes and boxes. There was a desk in the center of the room, made of wood.

Eduardo smiled up at me because I was about a foot taller than him and patted my arm.

_Stop it, you vermin._

"My golden boy..." he gushed, a proud, fatherly glint in his eyes. "Always good to poor, suffering Eduardo.. Always bringing something back for me..."

He smiled again and walked around to the other side of the table.

"So," he said. "What took you so long?"

Despite his cheery attitude, there was a slight bit of impatience in his voice. I shrugged.

"Dib wanted to talk to me."

Eduardo froze, panic in his eyes.

"I... you... You didn't tell him about my little... _business_, did you?"

"No," I said. "He did search me, though."

Eduardo went silent.

"Did he take it?"

I grinned.

"He's gonna be hella surprised when he opens it up and finds a rubber duck inside."

Eduardo clapped his hands.

"Ooo, you devilish child you! So smart to plant a decoy!"

I knelt down and reached into my boots. After rummaging around for a bit, I pulled out two small packages, also wrapped in plastic.

Eduardo's eyes flashed hungrily.

"Give them to me," he pleaded, reached down.

"Ah, ah, ah..." I smiled, standing up and holding them away. "We have a deal, don't we?"

For a moment, Eduardo looked angry. Then, as if realizing what he was doing, he became all smiles again.

"Yes, yes, of course! Come here, I have it all ready for you!"

The human waddled over to one of the shelves and took out a small metal box from behind some jars. He set this on the table and opened it up.

"There. Ammo. All to your liking, I suppose?"

I picked up on of the bullets and turned it around in my fingers.

"Mm... Seems about right."

I clicked the box shut and stuck it under my arm.

"Well, deal's a deal," I sighed. "Have it."

I tossed both of the packages onto the desk. Eduardo tore one open like a wild animal and sifted through the white powder inside with trembling, greasy fingers.

I felt disgusted as I watched him snuff it.

_Why do humans use that stuff? If they want to die, why not die in flaming glory? Why choose pathetic, slow decay?_

I really didn't understand these people.

I knew that Eduardo would start acting crazy in a matter of minutes, and since I had what I wanted, I decided to leave. I was kind enough to shut the door behind me.

"Stupid, fat slob..." I growled.

_Sorry Dib. I kinda agree with you, but I need to get my ammo somehow. Just think of it this way: One human turned into a helpless wreak and one Irken a little more capable of protecting whatever needs protecting if the time comes to that. Sadly, it might come pretty soon. God, I hate these people._

The sky was turning dark, and I was ready to call it a day. I desperately hoped that there wouldn't be anyone else who needed me, since I was pretty much fed up with humans at the moment.

Walking slowly and dragging my feet just a bit, I jumped over the chain link fence and stumbled over to the apartment entrance. There was another Seeker around my age sitting just outside, smoking.

"Smoking's for losers, Sam," I growled. Sam responded by blowing a puff of smoke into my face.

"Zip it, Zim."

"Bastard."

Inside the apartment lobby, I pushed a button for yet another elevator and rode all the way to the middle of the building.

'Ding.'

"Shut up," I hissed at the machine, feeling annoyed with everything.

There was a hall stretching out in front of me, and I managed to make my way to the very last door. Beside it was a small piece of paper reading 'Zim's Room' taped to the wall.

Underneath my name was a string of numbers written in pink pen, along with a small smily face and a note that said: 'Call me cutie, k?'

Vandalism. I hated girls.

I pushed open my door and gazed bitterly at the meager room within. There weren't many pieces of furniture; only a cot, a dresser and a small table that was shoved in the corner. Through a pair of glass doors that led out to a balcony, I could see the first few stars appearing in the sky.

Weary, I removed my boots and stripped down to small shorts, shivering slightly at the cold air coming from a vent above my head.

"Fricken' AC..."

The Seeker building was one of the few places that still had working Air Conditioning. I should have been thankful for that, but at times like this, I really didn't appreciate the cold.

I sank down into the bed, wrapping the scratchy blankets around my bare shoulders and trying in vain to close my eyes and ignore the loud partying noises coming from downstairs.

Seekers had parties almost every night, since most of them thought they were going to die soon on the job. And they were probably right.

I just really hated the noise and wanted all of them to shut up.

It was hours before I finally managed to drift off to sleep.

* * *

**It has been done.**

**Yes, Dib has been introduced. YAY!**

**Again, deal with the fact that another I.Z character's OOC. Just think; Zombies. Zombies change a person.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey hey! Guess what?**

**I'm working on the cover right now, so hopefully, that'll be up in a bit. But soon, I'll also start drawing art for each of the chapters and posting them online! Exciting!**

**Once it starts up, I'll send a link. In the meantime, be content with your own imaginations.**

* * *

I woke up to see people in my room.

"GAH!" I screamed, scrambling backwards in bed and pressing my spine against the wall behind me.

The humans were dressed in full body jumpsuits with breathing masks on their faces, so I couldn't really tell who they were. They were currently rummaging through my drawers.

The taller of the two glanced up at me.

"Oh, he's awake..." they said, sounding smug. "Hello, Zim."

I frowned.

"Mildred?"

"Seems like you've dug yourself into a hole, huh?"

I had a sneaking suspicion about who the second human was, but decided to focus my attention on Mildred.

"Why the hell are you in my room?"

Mildred peeked under my covers, and I jerked away from her.

"We have orders."

I narrowed my eyes accursingly.

"And you have to vandalize my room because...?"

"Because a sneaky bastard like you could have anything hidden anywhere."

The second human opened the doors to the balcony and searched around out there.

"Sure, Lance," I growled. "I'd _totally_ hide stuff outside for anyone to climb up and steal."

Lance glared at me.

"Shut up, you... you..."

He couldn't think of the right word. That was hilarious.

I kicked off my covers and stretched, not really caring that I was only wearing a small pair of shorts in the company of two humans. In my opinion, they were privileged to see this much of ZIM!

Whoa. I sounded like my old self.

"Sooo, find the stuff you were looking for?"

"Well, we don't know _what_ we're looking for-"

Oh?"

"Just anything out of place or... illegal."

The way she said the word made everything click into place.

"_Dib_ told you to do this, huh?"

Mildred smiled.

"That reminds me. He requested that we give you a message."

"What is it?"

"Thanks for the rubber duck."

I scowled.

"Can I request that you send a message back to him?"

"No, but out of curiosity, what would it be?"

"Bitch please."

"Har har har. Very funny."

Mildred dumped out one of my drawers and poked at the pile of clothing on the floor.

"Are you going to clean that up?" I asked.

"No."

"Wonderful."

The female human glanced around one more time and sighed.

"Come on, Lance..." she said. "There's nothing here."

Lance whined and looked under my bed for the fifth time.

"There's _gotta_ be something here! I need _some _excuse to arrest him!"

I smiled.

"Sorry, big guy. I'm just a little angel."

Mildred pinched my shoulder.

"Don't get cocky. I'm sure something will happen soon."

I rolled my eyes.

"That sounds like wishful thinking on your part."

Mildred growled at me and grabbed Lance's hand.

"Come on. Let's go."

As I looked at them, I began to notice small signs of a deeper relationship between the two. The hand holding. The way he looked at her. How gentle she was with him.

"You two are dating," I said, wanting to gag. Mildred looked over at me, a little surprised that I had figured it out but not wanted to lose her cool.

"Just because _you_ can't land a girl doesn't mean the rest of us have to be miserable.

"I could be in a relationship if I wanted to. I just feel too important to have to deal with these... lowly choices."

"Someday, someone's going to cut your tongue right out of your mouth, you know that?"

I snorted.

"Whatever. Go _make out_ with your boyfriend somewhere else, okay?"

Lance raised his hand to strike me, but Mildred simply mumbled something to him and pulled him out the door. I sat on the bed for a while, feeling foul.

"I hate humans."

* * *

After getting changed and scarfing down my breakfast ration for the day, I walked back into the main part of 'Guardian's Keep' and went straight to the Seeker station.

Basically, it was where Seekers went to get their missions for the day and pair up with a partner who would accompany them on the trip.

There was a small crowd of people in black uniforms standing around a small desk, which was underneath a tarp to protect it from the sun. I shoved my way to the front of the group and placed my knuckles on the table.

"Loo," I growled. "Give me a mission, quick. I want to get out of this place."

Loo, the elderly man in charge of assigning missions, looked up at me wearily through a pair of half-moon spectacles.

"Zim... Aren't you supposed to be taking the day off? You're not required to have another mission until tomorrow-"

"I don't care. I need to get away from here."

Loo sighed.

"You know... you're the first Seeker I've met who actually _wants_ to go outside the walls."

"I'm not like any other Seeker."

"No, you're not."

Loo flipped through a large book in front of him, mumbling small things to himself.

"Well... Zim, I don't know... Since you're not supposed to go out today, I don't have a pairing already made..."

"Then give me someone who_ isn't_ already taken."

"Well, let's see... First of all, there _is _a possible mission available, but it's going to be one of those long ones. It's to get some weapons form a recently discovered Hunting Shop. It's off the main highway, near the old Skool."

I blinked.

"I... I know that place..."

Loo grunted.

"I'm sure you do. Did a lot of hunting back in the day?"

"No, not the shop... You said it was near a school?"

"Not_ a_ school, _the_ Skool_."_

"Yes... I know where that is. I can... find my way around from there."

"Hm, well... It's good that you're familiar with the area, I guess... But you're going to have to be _very_ careful. Its a three day trip, both ways, and it brushes elbows with the 'Red Zone.'"

"Red Zone."

"Yes. It a very risky mission that we weren't going to give to anyone... but you seem like you could pull it off. But do _not_ go into the Red Zone. It's absolutely infested. You'll be devoured. The only reason that we're even _considering_ this mission is because of the supplies. We need those weapons. Badly."

"Yessir."

"And as for your partner... Hm.. not many people willing to go to that area... but there might be someone.. yes, there's an open spot."

"Who is it?"

"Um... Ah yes! A female Seeker by the name of Rebecca Taxer."

I stared at him.

"Rebecca?"

"Yes."

"Shit."

"Is.. there something wrong?"

"...No. Is there anyone else that can go?"

"Um... No, I'm sorry. There's absolutely no one else. This won't be a problem, will it?"

I glared at the book.

"Nope... Not a problem... at... _freaking_... all."

"Well... Alright then. You'll meet back here with your partner in an hour. We'll have supplies ready for you then."

"… Thank... you."

"I'll see you soon. Oh, and one more thing..."

Loo sat back and rubbed his chin.

"It would probably be a good idea for you to tell Dib that you're taking this mission."

"Ah yes. Of... course."

I saluted mockingly and turned away from the desk, my emotions all clouded.

_Freaking... I've got to go on another mission with that BITCH again! And it's a SIX DAY TRIP._

I began to make my way to the Labs, wondering how I could somehow convince Dib to let me go alone.

_Goddamnit_..._ This isn't going to work out. The last time I saw her... she would even LOOK at me. How are we going to do this, huh? How is this-_

"HEY! ZIM!"

I froze.

_That... voice..._

I turned slightly and saw a figure running towards me.

"Zim! Wait up!"

The person finally reached me, panting heavily. I quickly looked away.

"Rebecca."

"Hey."

I turned to her again, a little confused by her behavior. Despite her heaving shoulders and pink tinge, she seemed energetic. Her eyes sparkled with excitement.

"We have another mission together! I just found out!"

"...Yeah.."

"You know, I've been wanting to talk to you."

I frowned and tilted my head slightly, not really sure what was happening.

"I talked with Dib, and he told me not to worry about what happened," Rebecca said. "He said you're human."

_Ah,_ I thought. _Dib's message probably convinced her._

".. But I don't think he's telling the truth!"

_... or not..._

"I just wanna know what you are!" Rebecca grinned. "I mean, I was _totally_ freaked out at the time, but now that it's over and I've had time to think hard about it, and I means _really_ hard, I've figured that you're not gonna hurt me and I've been _super_ curious!"_  
_

This situation had suddenly gotten very bad in a different way.

"Are you an troll?" Rebecca asked, skipping around me. "Or you could still be a demon, I guess... Oh! You're a water nymph! No wait... those are girls... and you don't like water... Hey, are you a troll?"

I glared at her.

"You wanna know who I am?"

"Yeah!"

Making sure that she was watching, I veeeeery slowly raised both of my middle fingers.

"I'm the guy who just flipped you off."

With that, I turned and yanked the lab doors open.

Although she was startled, Rebecca did not give up so easily.

"Hey! Come on! I won't tell!" she pleading, following me. "Just tell me!"

"Piss off."

"Don't be like that! I'm not gonna stop asking, you know!"

"I can hope, can't I?"

"Well, well, well…." chuckled a stern voice. "Looks like our friendly teenaged _Don Juan_ is having his lady troubles bite him in the ass."

Oops. I'd forgotten about Dolly.

Rebecca made a small little squeak and looked up at the Receptionist.

"Don-… Hey, I'm _not_ into him!"

Dolly rolled her eyes.

"That's what they_ all_ say."

I didn't know why, but that statement brought a blush to my face.

_Quit it… You'll look weak!_

Today, it was only Dolly behind the desk. I was disappointed, not because I _like__d_ the other human or anything, but simply because Dolly didn't seem like such a bitch when the younger girl was around.

"What can I do for you, honey?" Dolly smiled, looking at Rebecca. The human stammered and glanced at me, not sure of what to say.

"We need to talk to Dib," I growled. Dolly lifted her eyebrows.

"Oh? Well, sorry. You have to make an appointment. He's a very busy man."

"He's twenty."

"He's a lot more responsible than _you_."

"Loo told me to talk to him. We're taking a six day mission near the 'Red Zone.'"

Dolly paled, and for a moment, she looked worried.

"The 'Red Zone?'"

"Yes."

"Why in hell's name would you want to go _there?!_"

"Weapons, mostly. Also because…. oh, I dunno…. Maybe it's my _job_?"

Dolly's eyes flickered over to Rebecca, and sudden realiazinon hit her.

"Oh _no_! She isn't… That girl isn't your... _partner_, is she?!"

I shrugged.

"Yep. 'Friad so."

Dolly looked horrified.

"If _you_ want to go on a suicide mission, then _fine_! Good ridance! But you can't… you can't drag an inoccent _child_ into this mess with you!"

Rebecca looked insulted.

"Hey! I'm not a child! And are you doubting my abilities?!"

"N- no! I'm not! I'm just saying-…"

I grinned, liking how this whole argument was turning out.

"Yes, what _are_ you saying? Are you saying that she can't handle it because she's a _girl?"_

Dolly glared at me.

_"I'm _a girl!"

"_Really_?"

Dolly bared her teeth at me and began to rise from her seat.

"You little bastard-!"

The elevator doors opened, and a tall figure stepped out. The person froze as he saw the scene in front of him.

"I… What's going on here?"

Dooly turned bright red with embaressment.

"D- Dr. Dib!" she gasped, bringing her hands up to her face. "P- please forgive me! I-.. I was just going to show them out!"

Getting over my surprise of seeing Dib himself come down to the lobby, I was suddenly aware that Rebecca was grabbing onto my arm in shock.

I very slowly turned my head glared at her over my shoulder.

"Do you mind?"

She blushed and let go.

"S- Sorry! Reflex!"

I sighed and rubbed my forhead.

"…This is going to be a long mission…"

Dib tilted his head at Dolly.

"Show them out? What for? They must have a reason to be here. Zim, didn't I just see you yesterday?"

I rolled my eyes.

"This wasn't my idea, it was Loo's…"

"Ah, I see… and is that… Rebecca?"

The human girl gave a small little wave.

"H… hello…."

Dib glanced from her to me a couple of times. He probably saw my withered expression and pieced the situation together.

"You've taken another mission together."

"Wasn't my idea…"

"Is this… wise?"

Rebecca frowned.

"Why would it be? What are you-"

Her eyes widened.

"OOHH! Is it because Zim is a-"

"SHUT UP YOU BITCH!" I screeched, tackling her. Rebecca yelped.

"Hey! I wasn't gonna say anythin- Get off, that hurts!"

Dolly screamed dramatically and tried to climb over the counter.

"YOU LITTLE PERVERT! GET YOUR HANDS OFF OF HER!"

My hands were currently covering Rebecca's mouth, but Dolly didn't seem to care. She just wanted some reason to pommel me.

Dib, of course, came to my rescuse.

"Both of you," he snarled, grabbing Rebecca and I by our collars and hoisting us up. "My office. _Now_."

"Yes, _Ms. Bitters_…" I growled, wiping a small stream of blood from the corner of my mouth where Rebecca had punched me by accident.

Giving us both a small shove into the elevator, Dib clicked the button to make it go up and stepped back into the lobby.

"Go and make yourselves comfortable upstairs," he said. "I need to… fix things up here."

The last thing I saw was Dub turning to Dolly and saying: "What is God's name were you doing?"

* * *

The elevator ride up was awkward and long. I glared at the seam between the two doors the whole time, not wanting to look anywhere else.

Rebecca tried to strike up a conversation more than once.

"I uh… Sorry I punched you…" she mumbled sheepishly. "You're bleeding, you know…"

I didn't turn around.

"… So… are you a demon? I mean, it's not a bad thing if you _are_, I think that would be cool…"

My scowl grew deeper with each passing second.

"… Zim?"

"…."

"Zim, aren't you going to talk to me?"

"…"

"Come oooooooooon. You're not gonna have anyone else to talk to for the next six days, so we might as well-"

"Do me a favor, okay?" I growled.

Rebecca blinked.

"Uh.. sure-"

"Next time you open your big mouth, don't say something that might get me killed."

Rebecca drew back, both insulted and confused.

"Well I-… What do you mean,_ killed_?! What's the harm in knowing what kind of creature you are? Humans are naturally interested in any other intelligent li-"

"Listen carefully. People are about as freaked out as they're ever going to get becasue of the apocalypse. If they find out that I'm an alien, they'll string me up and leave me for the crows-"

"Ah-_HA_! An alien!"

I face-palmed.

"…. God, you're _exactly_ like Dib when he was younger…"

Rebecca looked a little startled.

"You knew Dib before this?"

I snorted.

"_Knew_ him? Hell, he was the first person I _met _when I came here, that no good pain in the ass- HEY! Quit asking questions!"

Rebecca raised her hands defensivly.

"Jeez… grumpy pants…"

"Didn't you hate me yesterday?"

"Yeah, but I really thought about the problem-"

"Just... shut up."

There was silence for a while.

"So, what planet are you from?" Rebecca asked eagerly. I hissed.

Luckily for Rebecca, the doors to the elevator opened before I could strangle her. I pushed past her and made my way over to the door at the end of the hall.

Bouncy and still excited, Rebecca followed close behind, firing off questions in rapid session.

"Shut up!" I snarled.

"Come on, you've gotta tell me _something!_ What's your species name? Are you from pluto?"

"No!"

"Are you here to help us? How'd you meet Dib? *_Gasp,* _do you have _spaceship?!"_

"Bitch, leave me alone, or I will eat your face."

Rebecca drew back slightly with a weird expression as I opened the door to the office. George was not on duty today, which was wonderful.

The inside looked the same as always. With a small sigh, I plopped down on the couch and stretched out the full length.

Rebecca examined the room, poking the rose vase and peeking at all the paintings.

"... When you said you were going to eat my face…" she eventually said, breaking the slightly awkward silence. "…Did you mean that you were going to kiss me?"

This was the last straw.

"That's it!" I spat, sitting up. "I'm going to-"

As I heard the sound of a door opening, I froze and peeked over my shoulder.

Dib stood in the doorway, his face wreathed in shadow.

In all of my life, I'd never see him so terrifying.

"Zim…" he said, his voice soft. "You and I talked about this."

"I... listen..." I tried to explain, feeling all the blood draining from my face. "This isn't my fault..."

Rebecca, who didn't seem at all affected by Dib's scary overlord expression, ran up to him and lightly punched him on the shoulder.

"Doctor, you sneaky cheek!" she whined. "You told me that Zim was human! Why'd you lie?"

Very slowly, Dib's eyes flickered up to me.

"I- I DIDN'T TELL HER!" I shrieked. "I SWEAR, SHE WON'T LEAVE ME ALONE!"

"Come on, sir!" Rebecca pleaded. "Please tell me! I managed to trick him into teling me that he's an alien, so why can't you just tell me where he's from? Gosh, I've never _been_ part of a secret like this before! You _have _to tell me if it's true!"

"Rebecca-" Dib warned, but the human wasn't listening.

"Man, I'll be _famous_! _We'll _be famous! Please sir, I'm begging you!"

"Rebecca-"

"Doctor, please! You have to tell me! I'm _begging-_"

I couldn't take it anymore, so I bolted for the door. Just as I ducked under Dib's arm, his hand snapped out and grabbed me by the back of the collar.

"HEY! LET ME GO!" I screeched.

Dib sighed and tossed me onto the couch like a doll.

"I know you so well. It was obvious that you'd try and pull a stunt like that."

I hissed and bowed my head, feeling anger flaring up in my face and causing my fingers to curl. Dib gently turned Rebecca around and pointed at the spot next to me.

"Please sit. I'll explain."

Nodding vigorously, Rebecca bounded over the couch and flopped onto the cushions. I scooted as far away from her as I could, but since the couch was so small, our thighs brushed up against each other.

Dib sat himself down on the chair opposite us, just as I had expected him to do. He no longer looked angry; in fact, he seemed a bit amused at my discomfort.

"All right then…" he sighed. "Zim?"

"What?"

"Would you feel alright if I told Rebecca?"

"Hell no."

Rebecca pouted.

"Oh, come _on!_ Just trust me!"

I glared at her.

"If I remember, on our first mission together…" I snarled. "You stuck a gun under my chin and told me I might have an 'unourtunate encounter' with the undead at some point."

Rebecca blushed.

"I… do that to _all_ the new boys I go out with. I mean, go out on _missions_ with… It helps to have a possible rapist be afraid of you."

"I'm not… Jeez, that was an _act_?"

I had_ wondered_ why she'd looked so frightened when _I_ had threatened her. She hadn't actually planned to do anything she said she would if I goofed up!

I was hating her more and more.

"Zim, it'll be easier for everyone…" Dib soothed. "Rebecca, _obviously,_ already knows what you are. I'm just trying to fill in any holes in the story so she doesn't fill them in herself."

I had to admit, Dib had a point. Nevertheless, I was relectant to allow another human into the grand secret. But… if it would stop her from revealing me to others…"

".. Fine…"

"Good, I'm glad you came to. Now, Rebecca, the first thing you need to know is that we're _not_ alone in the universe. In fact, we're not even _remotly_ alone."

I only half-listened to Dib's speech as I glared off at the wall next to me for the next half hour. The story was already familiar to me. However, I noticed with some relief the fact that Dib toned down the amount of stupidity the both of us had back when we were young. He didn't really talk much about our adventures, as a matter of fact, which was probably for the best.

"Zim, anything you'd like to add?"

I blinked and looked at him. Dib was sitting back with his legs crossed and one of his eyebrows raised, gazing at me expectantly. I sneered.

"I was a whole lot more badass than_ you_, even in middle school."

Dib chuckled.

"Well… I really can't argue with that… I was a nerd."

"You still are."

"Shut up, space boy."

"_Make_ me, Dib-filth."

Rebecca coughed, causing both Dib and I to blush slightly and turn away from each other.

"Yeah, so… there you go…" I growled. "You know the truth. Hooray."

"Do you have any more questions, Rebecca?" Dib asked gently.

The human girl's eyes were wide and she was a bit paler than I remembered. But she had on a huge smile, and she was trembling with excitment.

"I actually_ do_ have one."

"Yes?"

"Zim… what do you look like?"

I rolled my eyes.

"I'm 5' 8". Handsome. Sexy. Got lots of SWAG."

Dib choked slightly when I said that word.

"No, no…" Rebecca sighed. "I mean, you as an _alien_. What do you _really_ look like? I mean, I know your skin's green. _That's _obvious."

I glared at her.

"I'm not willing to-"

"I know! You're like the thing from Green Lantern, right?"

"The… the what from _what_?"

Dib had finished having his episode and stood up.

"Listen, Rebecca… if Zim's not comfortable showing you his Irken form, I'm not going to push him. But you have to promise that you won't tell anyone what you've just learned, alright? Like it or not, we _need_ Zim here-"

I smiled smugly.

" -And if word gets out he's an _extraterastrial_, they're going to experiment on him and cut him open while he's still awake."

My smile wasn't so wide after this.

"Can I trust you, Rebecca?" Dib asked. I snorted.

"You don't really have a _choice_, Dib man."

But Rebecca, eager to prove herslef, saluted smartly and gave a small nod.

"Yessir, Dr. Membrane!" she said. "This secret is safe with me!"

"Good…" I growled.

"… On the condition that the Seeker Zim shows me his alien form!"

I froze in place, horrified. Dib tapped his chin thoughtfully and shrugged.

"Seems fair. Zim, deactivate your hologram."

"But… but…"

"It's better than the secret getting out. What's the matter? I thought you were _proud_ of being an Irk-"

Dib cut off quickly, realizing what he was about to say. It was too late, however. Memories were already forcing their way to the surface.

"…."

"… Sorry, Zim. I… forgot. Again."

"Quit…_ freaking… _forgetting, okay?"

Rebecca looked between us, obviously about to ask another question. Before she could, however, I reached up and lightly pressed my thumb against my temple.

I didn't have my labs anymore, but there _had_ been a few basic tools in my P.A.K the night it all began. I was able to use what I found and a few things Dib lent me to build a simple hologram disguise. In the apocalyse, it was _far_ too easy to lose a contact or get tangled in a wig. A hologram that looked and felt like real hair and human eyes probably saved my life and my secret a few times, even if there was a danger of it running out of battery at some point.

Even so, I hadn't switched it off in over a year. The last time I'd been without it, it had just been Dib and I. I'd gotten a nasty cut on the top of my head from ducking through a broken window, and Dib was the only one who fix me up without discovering what I was. (Becasue he already knew) Since the cut was hidden in my 'hair,' I needed to switch off the hologram in order for him to properly clean the wound.

It had hurt like hell.

Even then, switching off the hologram had made me feel… exposed. I'd gotten so used to having it on, taking it off was just weird. That was infuriating. I was becoming less and less comfortable with my natural appearence, and instead preferred to look like a… _human_.

However, at the moment, as my vision grew just a bit clearer and I felt my thin antenna fall down my back, I was almost… proud, I guess you could say.

_This isn't a good situation for me, but… still. It's fun to strike terror/awe in the heart of someone. Usually I do that without turing Irken, though..._

And there it was, on the human girl's face. That expression of mixed fear and amazement. The look that a lesser creature made when gazing upon a god.

I really didn't _feel_ like a god at the moment, though. The sudden switch left my head spinning a little.

It had been a year since I'd last been Irken. I was surpirsed at how much I'd changed during that period of time.

Of course, I'd gotten taller. That wasn't hard to miss, even _with_ my disguise on. But… it was the other things. My antenna, for instance. They were longer now, their weight being too much for them to be perked over my head like they'd used to. Now, they hung down to the bottom of my shoulder blades, two thin black vines that ended in small spears. I flicked them with distain, a bit annoyed that they felt so weird now.

"Well… there you have it…" I growled, glaring at the still-gaping Rebecca. "Behold, the mighty ZIM! Oh, also... We have to leave in like… twenty minutes? Soo… can we get this show on the road?"

Dib was hiding a smile behind his fist, pretending to be deep in thought. At my request, however, he nodded and sat back down.

"Yes, I suppose we should… But first, Rebecca-?"

"Oh, for Pete's Sake!" I hissed. "She's not a baby! If she can't get over this, then kick her out!"

"Zim-!"

"Well, it'll fix the problem!"

"Zim, you're not helping! Do I have to gag you again?"

I clamped my mouth shut and silently shook my head, trembling in rage.

"Good. Now, Rebecca? Are you feeling alright about this?"

The girl had slowly eased her way back onto the couch, and was still staring at me with that stupid wide-eyed expression. I scowled and looked away.

"Your eyes…" Rebecca whispered. "They're so pretty…"

I scooted away from her. For some reason, her words were making me increasingly uncomfortable.

"Diiiiiib…" I hissed. "Heeeeeeelp meeeeee….."

"Zim, you can't blame her. You're the first alien she's seen!"

"… She's scaaaaaring meeeeee….."

"Who's the baby _now_?"

Rebecca rubbed her eyes and gave a small smile in my direction, almost as if she's gotten over her episode.

"This really cool… I can't belive I'm friends with an _alien_!"

I sputtered angrily.

"Bitch, you're not my friend! You're not even my partner! You're blackmail! The only reason I'm putting up with you is becasue-"

Dib's foot lashed out from underneath the table and clipped me on the ankle. Dib wasn't trained for combat, but the blow was surprisingly strong and it stung like hell.

"Hurk!" I choked. I fought the urge to lean down and grab my throbbing limb, since I knew what the kick had been trying to say.

"Is… something wrong, Zim-?" Rebecca began, seeing my pained expression.

"NOPE!" I grinned forcefully. "NOPE, EVERYTHING'S JUST… PEACHY! DIB… CAN YOU… LET US LEAVE NOW?"

Dib gave me a wry look.

"Alright… So, you've both decided to take the mission near the 'Red Zone,' huh?"

Rebecca nodded. I, on the other hand, was busy trying to lessen the pain in my foot.

"Rebecca, first of all, you don't have to take this mission now that you know who and_ what_ you're taking it with."

This earned Dib a little glare from me. Rebecca, on the other hand, smiled at the human.

"No, I can handle it. It'll be fun! Zim can use those metal claws of his to get us out of a pinch in no time, I'll be a lot safer!"

"Dream on…" I mumbled.

"Well then… there are a few things the both of you should know. First of all, in no condition are you to enter the 'Red Zone.' The old Skool is your marker. Go beyond that, and you're in a highly infected area, do you understand?"

Rebecca nodded.

"Zim."

"… Whaaaat?"

"Do you understand?"

I bit my lip and looked away from him.

_"Do. You. Understand?_"

"You know, Dib Stink…" I growled. "If I can get to my labs… you might have a fighting chance against this plague of yours."

Dib shook his head.

It's too risky… that whole area is overrun with class-3 zombies. You know those. They attack anything that moves, even other undead. Class-2's are bad enough for the both of you, but…"

Dib sighed.

"I can't afford to lose two of my best Seekers. That would be a horrible blow to the colony."

"You mean, you can't afford to lose _me._"

"Oh quit it, Zim. Loss of any life brings all of us one step closer to falling."

"Better find a railing then."

"ZIM!"

"Only joking. Anything else, glorious leader?"

Dib rubbed his forehead.

"… No… You know what to do. Get in, get out. Carry as much as you can without weighing yourself down too much. Stay out of sight. Avoid bandits. Shoot only if you have to."

"Okay then… Becks?"

"… Excuse me?"

"I'm going to call you 'Becks' for now on. Anyway, Becks, go get ready. Pack some makeup or whatever girls put in their bags while going out."

"That's… sexist!"

"Hey, I'm an alien, remember?"

I pressed my finger to my temple and felt my antenna disolve into a hologram again. I let out a small sigh of relief, which I was immediately ashamed for.

"Alright then…" Dib said, standing up. "I wish you both the best of luck."

"Don't worry, we're professionals!" Rebecca giggled, waltzing to the door. "We'll be back in no time!"

Smiling gently, Dib opened the door for her and nodded.

"May things go in your favor."

Just as I was about to follow the human girl out into the hall, Dib closed the door slightly and bumped my shoulder to his.

"Oh, Zim?"

"… What?"

"Just thought I'd say this. I'd better not catch you walking back here with drugs down your trousers."

I gave him my best vampire grin.

"Oh, don't worry…"

_You won't catch me. I'll make sure of it._


End file.
